Cotton-chopper.



ivo. 790,355.

JPatented. May 23, 190,5. 'V

PATENT OFFICE.

BOSIAR LEE FIKES, OF ROYSE CITY, TEXAS.

ooTToN-oHoPPER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 790,355, dated May 23, 1905.

l Application led .April 5, 1904. Serial No. 201,770.

To all whom it may concern.-

- City, in the county of Rockwall and State of Texas, have invented a new and useful CottonyClioppiiig Machine, of which the following is This invention relates to cotton-clioppers; and it has for its object to present a device of Ithis class which shall possess superior advantages in point of simplicity, durability, and general eliiciency. i

With these and other ends in view, which will readily appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in the improved construction and novel arrangement and combination of parts, which will be hereinafter fully described, and particularly.

pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings has been illustrated a simple and preferred form of 'embodiment of the invention, it being, however, understood that no limitation is necessarily made to the precise structural details therein exhibited, but that various changes and modiiications may be made, especially with regard to size, shape, proportion, and exact manner of assemblage of the parts, when such changes may be resorted to Vwithin the scope of the invention and without departing from the spirit or 'sacriiicing the eiiiciency of the same.

In said drawings, Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal 'sectional View of a cotton-chopper constructed in accordance with the principles of the invention. Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional detail view taken on the line 2 2 in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional detail view taken on the line 3 3 in Fig. l.

Corresponding parts in the several figures are indicated throughout by similar characters of reference.

TheF improved implement which is the subject of the present invention is provided with an approximately rectangular frame, including side members 1 1 and end members 2 3. Suitably connected with the side members 1 1 are spaced downwardly-extending cylinders 4 4 and 5 5, through which extend supporting-rods 6 6 and 7 7 The lower ends of the supporting-rods 6,6 are connected with an arched' front axle 8, carrying wheels 9. A rear axle 10is supported. for rotation at the lower ends of the vertically-movable-rods 7. Within the cylinders 4 and 5 are springs 11, which operate to force the respective axlesupporting rods in a downward direction.

The rear axle 10 carries a ground-engaging operating-wheel 12.

Slidably engaging the rear axle 10 is a sleeve 13, having a forward projection 14, constituting a socket for the accommodation of a ball 15 at the rear end of a shaft 16, the front end of which is likewise provided with a ball 17 socketed in a recess 18 in the arched front axle. The shaft 15 has anon-circular portion 19, upon which is slidingly mounted a pinion 20, capable of being secured at any desired adjustment by a set-screw 21, so as to engage any one of a plurality of annular series of cogs 22 upon the adjacent face of the cartli-en- `gaging wheel 12. The slidable sleeve 13 is adjustable by means of a suitably-disposed lever 23, whereby the rear end of the shaft may be moved laterally, so as to cause the pinion 21 to be moved into or out of engagement with the cogs upon the wheel 12. It is to be understood that the balls at the ends of the shaft 16 are to have su cient play in their respective sockets to enable the desired adjustment to be made.

The rear end of the frame carries plows orcultivating implements 24, the slianks of which, 25, are suitably connected with said frame.

The `shaft 16 carries a plurality of chopping hoes or blades 26, which by preference are spirally disposed and are suitably secured to lugs 27 extending radially from said shaft.

The main transporting-Wheels of the machine, as shown at 28, are mounted for rotation upon the spindles of an arched axle 29, which is connected, by means of frame-bars, as 30, uprights, as 31, and brace-rods, as 32, with the hereiiibefoije-described frame, the side members of which are connected by an intermediate cross-bar 33. Pivotally connected with an upright 31 is a hand-lever 34, connected by rods or links 35 with the upper ends of the axle-supporting rods 6 and 7, which latter may thereby be adjusted vertically and retained at any desired adjustment by means of a spring-actuated dog or pawl 36, suitably connected With the level' 34 and engaging a segment-rack 37.

Suitably connected with the frame of the machine is adraft member 38, having a depending bracket 39, provided with a plurality of perforations 40, adapted to be connected, as by means of links 4,1, with the front axle 8 of the lower frame, to which draft may thus be directly applied.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the drawings hereto annexed, the operation and advantages of this invention will be readily understood by those skilled in the art to which it appertains. When the machine progresses over the ground, the arched axle 8 straddles the row of plants to be operated upon and the wheel 12 engages the ground at one side of the row, the front and rear axles having been previously adjusted to and secured at any desired elevation by the means herein described. rlhe ground-engaging wheel 12 causes the chopper-carrying shaft 16 to rotate at any desired speed, which will be regulated by the position of the pinion 21 with relation to the cogs upon the adjacent face of the ground-engaging wheel 12. As the shaft is being rotated the plants will be chopped or thinned in the usual manner, which is well understood. To throw the machine out of gear, the lever 23 may be manipulated to move the rear end of the shaft 16 to one side until the pinion 21 is disengaged from the cogs 22. When the machine is to be transported, the axles 8 and 10 and their related parts may be raised toan out-of-the-way position by manipulating the hand-lever 34C, as will be readily understood.

Having thus described my invention, I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States- 1. In a machine of the class described, a frame having two pairs of downward-extemling guide-cylinders, spring-actuated supporting-rods supported for vertical movement in said cylinders, an arched wheel-carrying front axle connected with the front su pporting-rods, an axle supported for rotation by the rear supporting-rods, a ground-engaging wheel upon said axle having a plurality of annular series of cogs on one side, a sleeve supported slidingly upon said axle, a chopper-carrying shaft provided at its ends with balls sockcted in said sleeve and in the arched front axle, and a pinion adjustable upon said shaft.

2. In a machine of the class described, a frame having guide-cylinders, axle-carrying rods supported for vertical movement in said cylinders, a front axle having transportingwheels, a rear axle having a single groundengaging operating-wheel provided with series of cogs, a sleeve slidable upon the rear axle, a chopper-earrjfing shaft provided at the ends thereof with balls sockcted in said sleeve and in the front axle, a pinion adjustable upon said shaft and adapted for engagement with the cogs upon the ground-engaging wheel, an arched main axle having main transportingwheels, means connecting said axle with the frame, a hand -lever, connecting means hetween said hand-lever and the adjustable axlecarrying rods, and means for securing said hand-lever at Various adjustments.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name to this specification this the 19th day of March, 1904.

BOSIAR LEE FIKES.

INTitnesses:

T. J. STANFORD, W. F. JoNns. 

